Quality of Life hears plans; public weighs in

Thursday

Feb 28, 2013 at 2:50 PMFeb 28, 2013 at 2:55 PM

In a proposed solution to cut $200,000 from its budget for 2013-2014, Parks and Recreation Director Jim Ponek is seeking to turn his department upside down.Following weeks of preparation and meetings, one of Ponek’s proposals presents those cuts while at the same time would take the department in a ambitious new direction.

By Jack Barnwelljbarnwell@ridgecrestca.com

Part 1 in a series of Ridgecrest’s Park and Recreation Department’s proposed budget solution

In a proposed solution to cut $200,000 from its budget for 2013-2014, Parks and Recreation Director Jim Ponek is seeking to turn his department upside down.Following weeks of preparing and meetings, one of Ponek’s proposals presents those cuts while at the same time would take the department in a ambitious new direction.Under Ponek’s proposal the city would close Pinney Pool permanently, turn over operation of Kerr McGee Youth Sports Complex and take over Leroy Jackson Park lock, stock and barrel.The proposal, presented to the Quality of Life Committee at Kerr McGee Center on Wednesday, follows the city council’s direction to cut at least $200,000 from its budget for FY 2014.Above all else, Ponek’s plan lays out a roadmap for utilizing the remaining $3.5 million Tax Allocation Bonds the city has yet to earmark.Throwing in the towel for Pinney PoolTopping Ponek’s proposal is the closure of Pinney Pool effective Sept. 1, saving the city $55,000 for 2013. It would be drained and covered, the power shut off, and landscaping removed.Ridgecrest subsidizes the pool for $80,000 a year after it pulls in revenue from the facility.While Ponek lamented the closure, he cited in his report that due to the facility’s age and current conditions as justification. The pool would only see two more seasons before major repairs were needed — a cost the city cannot afford in its current fiscal crisis.“I don’t want to close Pinney Pool,” Ponek told the committee. “It breaks my heart but it is an old facility.”Public response to the option was mixed.Resident Ken Amster recommended a third option by bumping the pool up on the priority list.“I think a desert community without a pool is a travesty,” Amster said.He floated the idea of working with the Sierra Sands Unified School District to fund a pool.Amster also suggested going halfway in the matter of a new pool, saying that 22 lanes proposed by Ponek in an aquatics park next to Jackson Park wasn’t necessary.He suggested a midway solution. and possibly shaving some of the recommendations from KMYSC.“Instead of a 22-lane pool, maybe 12 lanes and you cut it down to $3 million,” he said.Jerry Taylor disagreed with Ponek’s suggestion that the pool be closed down.“I’ve lived in this town for 50 years and I’ve never known anyone to rip out their pool in their backyard and put in a new one,” Taylor said.Taylor said it would be simple to maintain Pinney Pool, repair the cracks and upgrade it as necessary.Kerr McGee Youth Sports ComplexUnder Ponek’s plan, the city would pass the buck of operating Kerr McGee Youth Sports Complex by leasing it to the IWV Youth Baseball Association effective Jan. 1, 2014.The bid would save the city $45,000 by shunting all utility, maintenance and operating cots to the baseball association in return for its sole use. Under the leasing agreement, the facility would no longer be considered a public park, and the Parks and Recreation department would recommend that only $1.7 of the $2.5 million TAB money allocated to the complex be used.The IWV Youth Football Association would be relocated to Leroy Jackson Sports Complex in 2014, pending some changes. Ponek’s proposal would turn Kerr McGee Complex into a baseball-oriented facility by converting its football field into baseball diamonds with accompanying lights. Design plans would cost $90,000.The proposed $1.7 million would also be poured into new fields with lights for $440,000 and renovation of current fields for $580,000, parking, bleacher areas and sidewalks for $200,00 and a new concession and restroom facility for $200,000.In addition, the city would help fence off the area to mitigate any potential vandalism.“They would really have an opportunity to invest their money into it,” Ponek said.Vice Mayor Chip Holloway asked how confident Ponek was the association would want the facility.Ponek said if the association could not maintain it, another option facing the council would the closure of KMYSC. “We can’t maintain it with the type of budget we are getting next year,” Ponek said. He said if the city did allocate $1.7 million into it and sponsors were found and utilized for baseball only, the field would oaky.Leroy Jackson Park TakeoverPonek’s suggestion for one option includes taking over complete ownership of Leroy Jackson Park from the County of Kern.Ponek indicated the way the budget was looking, he would not be able to maintain it even at the level his department currently does. He estimated the city puts about $85,000 into maintaining it, and at full level tit would cost about $155,000.If the city received ownership of Jackson Park, Ponek indicated he would seek up to $175,000 per year for three to five years from the county to help maintain the facility. If not, it would have to opt out of its lease with the county.While Ridgecrest is still in negotiations with the county on the matter, Ponek’s goal serves as a dream of bigger things for Leroy Jackson Park: turning it into the city’s central park.“I would like to make this the focus of the town,” Ponek said. “One of the things we can do with the TAB Funds is help fix the infrastructure.”He indicated the plan would be by utilizing an additional $3.5 million from the TAB funding, along with readjustment of the $2.5 million already allocated to KMYSC, it would help with new fencing for the fields and for the expansion of the Maturango Museum and the planned relocation of the Naval Museum.Councilwoman Lori Acton leveled one question: What next after five years?“How do we fund it, especially with the times we are in?” she asked.Ponek indicated his plan plays into a long-term vision.“One of the things we are working on presently is looking at the possibility of a parks district or a tax assessment, and then eventually a bond for a pool,” Ponek said. Another option would be making a proposed aquatics park part of the park district, if bonds were not floated.He said the city would need help with that to help package and sell the idea, much like what the city did with Measure L, the general sales tax measure voters approved to fund road maintenance and public safety.He said with Jackson Park under the city’s ownership, it becomes easier to consider park district options.Harris Brokke, director of the Maturango Museum, voiced his support for the idea during public comment.“The more people that get to this area and use it, the better off it is for better museums,” Brokke said. He pointed out if everything fell into place, it would create foot traffic for the area and the museums.Jerry Taylor voiced his doubt on the long-term possibility of the city taking over the park.“Unless the county gives us a break on the $625,000-a-year fire fund fee, that’s the only way this would be seen as a good deal,” Taylor said. Taylor indicated the support of a parks district might not go over well with voters, especially when it was polled at Nov. 7, 2011 special council meeting regarding Measure L.First District Supervisor Mick Gleason indicated the county had opened conversation with the city, but still ongoing.“We are trying the best we can to position ourselves to support the city,” Gleason said. He said presently, Jackson Park was the only regional park to serve the north-east portion of Kern County, not just Ridgecrest.If the city were able to drum up a probable sustainable game plan, he would be predisposed to supporting the idea of transferring the park to the city.Justin O’Neill seemed positive of the idea. He indicated that beyond high school, teenagers did not use the facilities, and were more predisposed to heading to college or using a back yard.“What I like about this is that it is a reinvigoration of what our parks can be,” he said. He said while Taylor’s comment about low numbers were right, it would be a “public show of centralization we have not seen in the community so far.”In closing out the meeting, Vice Mayor Holloway took a straw poll of how many supported the idea of a parks district. A large portion raised their hands.Holloway cautioned however, this was only a suggestion and would likely go through the budget discussion rounds beginning in March.